The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-08-25
HON. VIM. d. KELLEY ON
THE SOUTH.

yania, has been writing a series OF
letters to the Baltimore Mannfaffnr-
ers' Retoya on the agricultural and
industrial resources and progress OF
the South, which have attracted vide
attention throughout the country. In
the last issue of that journal the last
of the series of Judge Kelley's letters
is published. We make the following
extracts. Speaking Of North Carolina,
ne says:
saw during my trip a country
upon which the Almighty has with
lavish hand bestowed His richest ma
terial gifts. 1t IS gorged with every
mineral. I have scarcely been in a
State that does not abound in coal,
iron, copper and lead, and have trav-
cled over a region of country richly
underlaid with gold bearing quartz.
Let me speak specially of North Car
DINA, because, this is the most beautl-
full and richest portion of Gods earth
upon which my vision or feet have
ever rested. You know that she pro-
duces cotton, tobacco, rice, tar, pitch.
turpentine and superior timber. You
know that her soil and climate are
adapted to the cereals, wheat, corn,
rye, buckwheat and oats, bat you
probably do not know that that State,
long known as the Rip Van Wrinkle CT
the Union, is the land of wine and
honey, the apple and peach, the fig
and pomegranite, all of which | saw
prospecting in open field and under the
most artless culture. Its native vines
made the fortune of Longworth, who
carried cuttings thence. The wine
producing vineyards of Western
Pennsylvania, and around the borders
and on the islands Of Lake Erie, and
those scattered through Missouri, are
from cuttings taken from the native
vines of North Carolina. The CataVba
the Lincoln, the Isabella, and richer
than all, the Scuppernong, of which,
as it has not yet been successfully
transplanted, Eastern North Carolina
has the monopoly. There it grows
spontaneously as weed. The woods
and hillsides TEEN with the richest
honey-bearing flowers, and the bees
invite you to put up rude box, that
they may reward your kindness with
the sweetest treasure. There is not q
vegetable we produce that will moi
thrive in North Carolina.
X
What are required to regenerate the
South are subsoil ploughs, phosphates
agricultural implements generally, a
large increase of horses, mules and
horned cattle, a steadily increasing
supply ofsteam engines and machinery
and such manufacturing machinery as
can be moved by water-power. These
with a comparatively small amount Of
cash capital and few earnest men tc
teach others their use and value would
in few years make the South bloom
like a garden, and develop popula
ton as loyal as was that of any North
ern State during the war.
x x x
MAY we not, without the fear O
wounding any just susceptibilities, re-
joice audlbly over the fact that the
gloom and paralysis indicated by the
facts | have recalled to the memory O
my intelligent readers no longer per
wade the richly endowed, beautiful anl
once commanding South2
| x x X X X
Wealth and honor are in the pathway
of the New South. Her impulses arr
those which are impelling the advance
of civilization and the progress O
wealth and refinement throughout
Christendom ; and as her resources
including geographical position ano
climate, are greater and more diversi
fed than those in the possession of any
other people of equal numbers, sht
must at no distant day break from the
thraldom of a misguided past, and re
sumo her ouce proud position in thu
van of civilization advancing column
She is the coming Ell Dorado o
American adventure. May the Almigty
speed and guide her onward progress